Laser patterning of silver nanowire-based transparent electrically conducting coatings

Abstract

A transparent electrical conductor (), comprising a transparent substrate (); a composite layer () comprising an electrically conductive layer () disposed on at least a portion of a major surface of the transparent substrate () and comprising a plurality of interconnecting metallic nanowires, and a polymeric overcoat layer () disposed on at least a portion of the electrically conductive layer (); wherein a pattern in the composite layer includes an x-axis and a y-axis of an x-y plane of the composite layer and a z-axis into the x-y plane of the composite layer, and the pattern defines a plurality of electrically conductive regions () in the x-y plane of the composite layer (), wherein the electrically conductive regions () are separated from each other by electrically insulative traces (), each of which defines a valley into the z-axis of the x-y plane of the composite layer (), the valley having a maximum depth () in a range from 50 nanometers to 100 nanometers relative to the x-y plane of the composite layer (), wherein the valley has a cross-sectional width (M) in a range from 10 micrometers to 1000 micrometers, and wherein the valley further comprises a plurality of crevices () having a depth () in a range from 50 nanometers to 100 nanometers further into the z-axis of the x-y plane of the composite layer (). Methods for patternwise irradiating transparent electrodes () to generate electrically insulating traces () are also described.